Chapter 1002 - 1005: Ready for Anything

Selina Sloan’s hand clutched the edge of the quilt tightly, restraining herself, biting her lower lip, "What does Mr. Hale want me to do to you, given it was your own sister who kidnapped me two days ago? How do you intend to handle your own sister?"

She still hadn’t settled all the accounts with Hannah, her face, everything she’d endured—could it just be let go like this?

This question even left Elias Hale at a loss for words. He was aware of the things Hannah had done to her, yet as a man, he found himself unable to do anything against his own sister.

"Get some rest," Elias Hale wanted to help her lie down, but Selina Sloan avoided his touch.

"I can rest on my own. You should leave first." Selina Sloan lay down calmly, the nutrient drip attached to her hand, and closed her eyes.

She was lost too, uncertain of what to do.

But things between her and Elias Hale were impossible now. Falling in love meant wanting to show her best side, yet she was unable to face him in her most disheveled state.

Elias Hale just stood there. For the past few years, it wasn’t that he hadn’t been sad or pained; he was simply numbing himself, telling himself that Selina Sloan wasn’t dead, that she was just living in another corner of the world. This consolation and illusion had become his reality.

He didn’t want to lose her again, he was afraid of losing her.

"Sleep well. This situation with Hannah was her doing. As her brother, I can’t just stand by, so I’ll stay here until you’ve recovered. Consider it my way of atoning."

He had found no other excuse to stay by her side.

Selina Sloan turned her head to the side, where he couldn’t see, and tears streamed down her face. Should this be considered atonement?

Or were they now simply past tense?

Even having prepared for this, her heart still ached.

...

Outside the Hawthorne Family residence, Melody Thorne walked in with Jared Quinn by her side. She and Jared Quinn were about to hold their wedding, ordinarily not suitable for attending such an occasion, but because Weston Hawthorne left something so important to Melody Thorne on his deathbed, they decided to see him off one last time.

After Weston Hawthorne’s funeral ended, many guests stayed to watch the two brothers fight over the Hawthorne Family’s entire estate, with factions forming as well.

Arguing over everything—it was enough to imagine Weston Hawthorne would have died of anger even if he were alive.

"Everyone, please judge for us. We’re both sons of the Hawthorne Family. I’ve only received less than thirty percent of the inheritance, with the rest all swallowed by my eldest brother. Is this fair?"

"For Young Master Hawthorne to do this is quite unfair. Not to mention thirty percent, the Hawthorne Family’s wealth should be divided half and half between you!"

"Indeed, Young Master Hawthorne doesn’t quite show the demeanor of an elder brother."

"What? You all disagree? Let me tell you, I am the eldest of the Hawthornes, and I’m entitled to a larger share. After our father passed, what I say goes here. If you don’t want that thirty percent, feel free to walk out, but the condition is not to take a single cent with you!"

"Donovan Hawthorne, even if Father is gone, you can’t run things here. Before he died, he said he wanted me to manage the Hawthorne Family!" Wallace Hawthorne said angrily.

The two groups were nearly at the point of pulling guns on each other.

"You, manage? Are you joking?" Donovan Hawthorne pulled out something else. "I believe everyone knows this, right? It was personally handed to me by my father when he died. I shouldn’t have to explain what it signifies, should I?"